My Coming Out Party
by Bells of Tomorrow
Summary: And more than just that, he could not help but shake the feeling that it was his role as JD's...as JD's what, exactly? Mentor? Father figure? The only damn person who knew? Whatever the hell he was going by now, he knew it came with a responsibility.
1. Part I

_**A/N:**__ I've wanted to write this for a while now, an experiment of sorts, so we'll see how it goes. Basically, I wanted to stray from the norm for a bit and write a story in which JD and Dr. Cox are the main characters, JD is gay, but JD is _not_ crushing on Cox (or anybody, for that matter). It's a story in which JD is gay, but the dynamic between him and his mentor is still the father and son relationship. With those thoughts in mind, I hope you enjoy the read._

_**Disclaimer: **__I own a very large nothing._

**My Coming Out Party**

Perry tried to ignore both doctor and surgeon as they embraced one another by the nurse's station. He thought it'd be easy by now, what with those two being the way they were for as long as Dr. Cox could remember, but it was a bit harder to ignore when they stood only two feet away from him; faces pressed together as they went about whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears.

"Good luck in surgery, C-Bear. I know you'll knock 'em dead."

"Thanks, VB. I needed to hear that."

The older man rolled his eyes at not only the stupidity behind Newbie's so called encouragement, but the fact that neither of them had picked up on exactly how _un_-encouraging it really was.

When the two supposed professionals finally broke the hug, allowing Gandhi to walk off and kill whatever poor new guy was currently lying on his operating table, the older man couldn't help but comment on their latest display of girly affection. "You know, Newbie, it really is about time you and your black wife come out of the closet there. You might as well save Carla the devastating shock of walking into your apartment just to find you two idiots spooning oh-so-comfortably on the couch. Though I guess it wouldn't _really _shock her now, would it? What with her being haunted by dreams of you two running away together. Tell me something there, Trish: have you ever thought of moving to Aspen? Because according to her, you two love birds seemed to enjoy the atmosphere more than you enjoy your nauseating displays of public affection."

He had expected an appropriate Newbie-response, which honestly left for a number of possibilities. The kid could ignore his rant completely in order to convince himself that it never actually happened by asking him some random question that had absolutely nothing to do with what it was he just said. He could grow a pair and retaliate, of course, which seemed to always leave Dr. Cox shocked, pissed, and secretly impressed. _Or_ he could do what he normally did, which was to widen those baby blues and stick out that bottom lip. Not that that method ever actually worked on him, but still…

However, the overly gelled doctor didn't do any of those things. Instead, he ran a hand through the back of his hair – (which Dr. Cox found himself silently impressed by, if he was honest with himself, since he knew how hard it must've been what with all of the products Newbie insisted on using) – and awkwardly cleared his throat. "Turk's as straight as a ruler, Dr. Cox. Just because we're a little dependent on each other doesn't make him gay."

The older man stared at him, eyebrows furrowed, as the brunet grabbed his chart and walked away. The response had left a bad taste in his mouth, and it wasn't because the kid had managed to sound oddly serious, no. It was the fact that he had stood up for Milk Dud's sexuality, but hadn't said a single thing about his own.

--

The Irishman tried not to let out a soft moan as his teeth took its first plunge into his burger. Sacred Heart's cafeteria was known for its disgusting array of food, but burger day was the one exception to that well known truth.

Of course, the fact that he was finding himself unable to enjoy this once a month occasion as much as he normally did was not helping his already foul mood. His mind would not get off of a particular sneaking suspicion that he hadn't thought about since the kid's second year. He'd let it go for a number of reasons, chalking it up to the idiot just being awkward and overly feminine. A guy being "metro sexual" wasn't particularly unusual these days, was it? Not to mention all of the women that seemed to have entered (and sometimes re-entered) JD's life over the past three years… Watching that parade of estrogen come and go through the kid's life had managed to convince him that his original gut feeling was – dare he think it – _wrong. _Because let's be honest – Newbie's girlfriends were always ra-ha-ha-_heely_ hot. Hell, even Barbie was pretty attractive, despite her anal neurotic tendencies and her high pitched, ear grating voice. Not that he would ever in his life admit that to the half labordoodle, half doctor himself, but still.

As if on cue, his three favorite annoyances (accompanied by Carla) walked over to his table, all of them simultaneously placing their trays down on its surface with a clang.

"Hey, Dr. Cox!" JD greeted instantly.

Well, at least the kid seemed to have his cheery composure back, even if it was still annoying as hell.

"Now listen here, Bethany. Just because I'm sitting at a table with four empty chairs does _not_ mean I am looking for company."

Carla grinned mischievously as she reached out for the bottle of ketchup. "All I heard in that sentence was, 'I am looking for company.'"

Perry growled, but said no more. Maybe if he stayed quiet long enough, none of them would try to pull him into their conversation, allowing him to go about converting their incessant babbling into white noise.

His plan was soon thrown out the window, however, when Gumball decided to bring up a topic of conversation that never seemed to end well for anyone: Family.

"Man, I'm really worried about Kevin. It's been almost two years since his divorce, and he still hasn't been able to meet anyone new."

Carla reached over to pat his hand lovingly, brown eyes wide with sympathetic understanding. "Give him a chance, Baby. Ten years is a lot to get over in two year's time. He'll get there eventually though, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah," Elliot chimed in encouragingly. "It's like when Barry got dumped by his first boyfriend. He was so crushed, since it was the first time he was dating someone who he actually wanted to date, you know? Of course, it didn't help that he just got a bunch of comments like 'I told you this would happen,' from mom and dad."

"Your parents really lectured him over getting dumped?" Carla asked in response to Elliot's latest comment.

"It wasn't that his boyfriend didn't want to go out with him anymore, but the fact that Barry had a boyfriend to begin with. I was the only one in our family who didn't want him sent to that hetero-camp."

"'Hetero-camp?'" Turk questioned.

It took Elliot a moment to answer, what with her lips having been wrapped around her burger, but she nodded as she continued to chew, swallowing faster than she normally did in order to give him a proper response. "Well, I don't think that was the actual name of it, but that's what the camp was for. Parents could send their kids there for counseling if they found out that their kids were gay. It only lasted for a month, but when Barry came home, he looked so…numb. It was years later when he finally came out of the closet, no matter how much our parents protested otherwise. You know…for all the crap they've done to me, I think I'm angrier at them for what they did to Barry. He's been in so many crappy relationships and I can't help but think he would have found a nice guy by now if they hadn't worked so hard at repressing him."

"That's pretty messed up," Turk complied, while Carla seemed too disgusted over the conversation to say much of anything.

Dr. Cox, however, was paying very little attention to any of them. His ears were alert, yes, but from the moment their conversation had began, his attention had focused in solely on Newbie, who had managed to turn even paler during the course of Elliot's story.

"Whoa, you okay, buddy? You don't look so good."

Turk's eyes had wandered over to JD during Perry's quiet observation of him, and while it was obvious that he had no idea why his best friend looked the way he did, it was also more than obvious that he was concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little nauseous, I guess."

Dr. Cox couldn't help but roll his eyes as Carla immediately reached across the table to place her hand over his forehead. "Well, it doesn't feel like you have a fever, but you are a little clammy."

Elliot dropped whatever was left of her burger onto her tray, eyes wide with panic. "Oh my God, do you think it's the burgers? Do you think that's why he's sick?"

"Relax, Elliot. I highly doubt it's the actual food. His stomach was probably upset beforehand and he just didn't realize it until he had something to eat. Bambi," she started in a gentler tone, attention now turned back to the brunet. "Why don't you go rest up for a bit, okay? Your patients are all stable and most of them are sleeping themselves, but I'll page you if anything changes."

Dr. Cox watched in silence as JD merely nodded, giving her a weak smile before picking himself up and heading out of the cafeteria door.

--

Anger.

It was anger he was feeling. Anger at Newbie for hiding in the closet, anger towards his friends for being too stupid to notice, and anger at himself for even giving a damn. Because really, why in God's name should he care? Why couldn't he just let the suspicion dissipate the way he had during the kid's first couple of weeks at Sacred Heart? The answer, of course, was a simple one.

JD hadn't become such a prominent part of Perry's life yet; he hadn't established himself into Dr. Cox's world.

Sure, he'd taken a special interest in the kid straight from the start, because it was just so damn rare when an intern who honestly cared that much about the patients walked through those doors. And yet, before he could register what it was that was actually happening, Newbie had taken shelter under his begrudgingly out stretched wing.

What only made it worse was that Dr. Cox could no longer deny that he didn't give a damn about the kid. Hell, only a few months had gone by since Newbie's father died. He had tried to take care of him from the shadows so as to avoid openly showing affection, and yet, somehow, he had found himself on the kid's living room couch with an arm draped casually over his shoulders.

So no, it wasn't just anger that Dr. Cox was feeling. It was concern. And more than just that, he could not help but shake the feeling that it was his role as JD's…as JD's what, exactly? Mentor? Father figure? The only damn person who knew? Whatever the hell he was going by now, he knew it came with a certain responsibility, and he knew that that responsibility was to be a man, step up to the plate, and help the poor kid out.

Ah, damn it!

Annoyed at everything and everyone – including himself – Perry let his head fall into his hands as he went about massaging the bridge of his nose. Okay, so he'd admit to being worried – _gag_ – about JD; what it was he was doing to himself by pretending he wasn't gay, but now what? As implausible as it was for him to be wrong, he was still wise enough to know that he could be. And even if he did have guaranteed proof that his suspicion was correct, how in the hell were you supposed to handle a situation like that? "Tell me something there, Newbie, are you more interested in dicks or vaginas?" didn't seem like a good way to go about it.

As if sensing that he was thinking of him – which Dr. Cox wouldn't actually doubt – JD walked up to the nurse's station, complexion notably better than it had been just an hour ago at lunch. "Hey, Perry," he yawned casually.

"Hey there, Newbie."

Albeit the sound of machines and chatty nurses, silence accompanied Perry's latest gesture, as JD now seemed too focused on his chart to start a conversation. Usually, Dr. Cox would have rejoiced, but today was proving different…

Damn it, how was he supposed to get this thing rolling? He really hoped that whenever it was time to give Jack the birds and the bees talk (a metaphor he refused to use when it actually was time to talk with his son, since he hated that phrase for as long as he could remember) it wasn't this hard to bring up.

A both familiar and obnoxious voice pulled Perry out of his silent contemplation. Never in his life had he felt so grateful for the scalpel jockey's sudden appearance.

After having successfully creeped Nurse Tisdale out for about the hundredth time in a row, The Todd raised his hand in the air, grin in place, as he waited for whoever had witnessed her rejection to congratulate him on another nice try. "Almost had her five?" he asked innocently when no one reached out to return the gesture.

Dr. Cox jumped on the opportunity, glad that JD had not yet gone off to whatever room his patient's chart indicated. "You know something, Newbie? I'm really looking forward to the day when numb nuts over there decides to finally come out of the closet and save us all from the torture of having to watch him pretend otherwise."

Putting his peripheral vision to use, Dr. Cox went about pretending to cross something off of his chart as he watched JD look up from his own, expression in awe that the older man seemed to be voluntarily starting a conversation with him that had nothing to do with patients or his complete lack of competence as a doctor.

Finally realizing that there wasn't a hidden insult in the Irishman's latest remark, JD's gaze shifted over to The Todd, who had given himself a high five before gallivanting off to God only knew where. "Yeah," he finally answered, tone sounding oddly reflective. "I don't think it's a secret to anyone anymore, really, but he's probably just scared to come out and say it."

"Is that why you won't come out, Newbie?"

For the first time since their conversation began, Dr. Cox looked up from his chart to stare directly into JD's stunned expression. He had asked the question quietly, his tone void of any and all humor, but the look on Newbie's face – the grin that was trying to twitch its way onto his expression and failing miserably – told the older man that he was still trying to figure out whether or not his latest question was supposed to be an insult or taken seriously.

But when Perry just kept staring at him, blue eyes deep with unwavering sincerity, the grin that had been trying so hard to make its way onto the brunet's expression vanished, leaving a visibly horrified looking Newbie in its wake. "W-Why would you ask me that?" JD stuttered, the tips of his ears burning red.

Dr. Cox swallowed what he knew was a rare ball of guilt and forced himself to continue. The last thing he was trying to do was humiliate the kid, and while he knew that would probably be hard for JD to understand, given their track record and all, he also knew that this conversation had to happen; that it was his job – his responsibility – to step up and get the ball rolling. "Breathe, Newbie," he ordered calmly. "No one heard me. I asked quietly on purpose, so just –"

"_Why would you ask me that!?"_

It was Cox's turn to look surprised as JD's expression turned into one of mortified anger. He had repeated his question in what could only be described as a "whisper-shout," but it had been loud enough for a few of the nurse's to turn in their direction. "Newbie, _relax._ I'm actually trying to work with you here, so if you could just –"

"No, Dr. Cox. This isn't happening. This…you can't just _do_ that! You can't just jump into things like that when it's convenient for you, okay? Just…just leave it alone. I'll pretend it never happened. It's fine. Just…don't do that again, okay? Please…"

The older man watched him go, visibly annoyed. What in the hell had he meant by saying it was _convenient_ for him to bring up Newbie's sexuality? How in God's name was it convenient for _anyone_ to start that kind of conversation!?

Pissed off at being rejected when he was actually trying to help the stupid idiot, Dr. Cox slammed the chart down onto the nurse's station, causing a few of the nurses to scatter upon witnessing his rage.

He didn't blame the kid for being scared about coming out, but for walking away during a conversation he had actually stressed and worried over? Oh no, no, no, no, no – Newbie was nee-_hot_ getting away with that one.

--

Dr. Cox waited with his back pressed against the wall; his body positioned as close to the door as he could get without being seen by whoever would next walk in. That whoever, of course, was supposed to be JD. He had paged him to Mr. O' Brien's room, hoping that no one had informed the kid of his departure. Of course, Newbie could see that the page was from Dr. Cox and decide not to come due to their earlier conversation.

A plausible theory! _If_ he wasn't talking about JD, who would probably answer the older man's page even at his angriest, especially if it involved taking care of a patient.

Still though, he had paged him a good five minutes ago. Where in the hell was he?

"Hello? Dr. Cox? Mr. O' Brien…? Woo-hoo!"

Ah, right on cue.

Perry waited until JD was far enough into the room so that he couldn't run away before he was able to prohibit his escape. Finally deeming it the proper moment, Dr. Cox darted towards the exit, slamming it shut with a loud and meaningful bang. The older man whirled around quickly, just in time to witness the kid jump _at least_ three feet into the air while letting out a small squeak in the process.

He would've enjoyed the sight if he wasn't already so pissed off.

"Dr. Cox? What, I mean…where's Mr. O' Brien?"

"I'm guessing home, what with him having been released about an hour ago and all."

"Then…why did you page me…?"

"Because you, my dear Newbile One, are full of unadulterated bullshit."

JD openly gawked at him before realization burst into his fearful, blue eyes. "I-Is this about…is this about before? Listen, Dr. Cox –"

"No, _you_ listen. Now there's a slight, and I do mean _slight_, possibility that I'm actually wrong about this one, but taking into consideration that you've yet to say, 'You're wrong,' which I can honestly understand since it _is_ such a rarity, I'm going to go ahead and assume that I am, in fact, _right._ So how about you clam up and _listen_ this time around, because believe it or not, I'm doing the very same thing that you beg me to do day after day after day after day; I'm trying to _help_ _you_ over here, Newbie, but you have to actually let me, understand? Help me, help you, help me, help you, help –"

"I ALREADY GOT HELP, OKAY!? I DON'T NEED IT ANYMORE!"

If anyone were to go up to an employee of Sacred Heart Hospital and ask what would occur if they were to stop Dr. Cox mid rant by screaming in retaliation, they would've been given a long list of possible punishments, the number one answer on that list being death. No one would have ever thought to put down that you'd be stared at in absolute shock; that the very same doctor known for his long and intimidating rants would be left speechless.

But as Perry watched JD slump down onto the now empty patient's bed, chest heaving rapidly as he visibly tried to regain control of himself, the attending momentarily forgot what it was he had planned on saying to him in the first place.

He'd told himself that the conversation would be hard; that Newbie would probably be scared, but for one reason or another, he hadn't thought that the discussion would ever be _painful._ But by the way the kid's chest was still heaving – by the way his eyes remained shut – Dr. Cox knew that it hurt. Badly.

And for a moment, he actually considered walking away. To mutter a quick apology and leave the kid alone.

But wouldn't that only make the whole thing worse?

If Perry left him the way he was now, JD would only sink deeper into whatever denial he had set up for himself. Someone somewhere would eventually call him out on it too, but for what purpose? Would it be one of his friends? That would be okay, Dr. Cox thought, especially since they'd probably be a lot better at the whole comforting part. But what if it wasn't one of the kid's gal pals? What if it was just some random asshole who decided to beat the shit out of him until he answered?

No, Perry had to do this. He didn't know why exactly, but he knew it had to be him. Tough love from a person who actually gave a damn was a lot better than getting the shit beat out of him by someone who obviously didn't. Something that Dr. Cox knew from experience…

He waited a few more seconds for Newbie's breathing to return back to normal. It wasn't until JD's eyes opened, though he still wouldn't look up at his mentor, did the auburn haired doctor deem it okay to speak. "What do you mean you got help, Newbie?" he asked in what he hoped was a softer tone than usual. He would try being nice first, but if the kid made him pull teeth again –

"I don't want to talk about it…"

Okay, back to tough love then.

"I didn't call you in here for the hell of it Newbie, and whether you choose to believe this or not, I didn't call you in here to humiliate you either."

"Bullshit…"

Well _that_ wasn't the answer he was expecting. "Excuse me there, Princess?"

Surprising him for the third time in a matter of minutes, JD shot up from his position on the bed, eyes narrowed in accusation. "Right there! See? Even if I was…you know…why would I tell you? You'd just use it as more reasons to make fun of me. My list of nicknames would only get longer, wouldn't it? If I turned out to be gay, you'd never let it go!"

_I told you so._ Dr. Cox winced at his silent self beratement. While he had first grown suspicious of Newbie's sexuality during the kid's first couple of weeks at Sacred Heart, that hadn't been the only time he ever wondered, no matter how much he tried telling himself otherwise. The suspicion had resurfaced during the kid's second year, except, unlike the first time, it was accompanied by another suspicion; one that left him with that unfamiliar pang of guilt. He'd chosen to say his piece by means of a rant, hoping that the kid would understand, but when he just went back to going out with women, the older man let his silent question die yet again, eager to get rid of the idea that somehow, someway, Newbie refusing to come out of the closet could have been _sort of _his fault.

It was the last time he thought of it up until today.

"Do you remember when Carla's mom died?"

The younger of the two seemed taken off guard by the question, but when what was being asked of him really sunk in, JD's expression softened as the pain of Carla's loss flooded back into his memory. Quietly, the brunet nodded, eyes much gentler than they were only seconds ago.

"And do you remember what we talked about right before she told us?"

"We didn't talk about anything; not really, anyway. You just yelled at me again."

"Wrong. I served you one hell of a good rant, true, but do you remember what it was about?"

"Because I repeated what you just got finished telling –"

"_No_, Newbie. I meant what my actual _rant_ was about. Now I know this is difficult for you, but could you please just try and _think_ for a second? And I mean _really_ think. Come on now, kid, this shouldn't be that hard."

It was a moment before JD answered, but when he realized what his mentor was referring to, his gaze turned back to the older man before him; blue eyes wide with understanding.

"There you go," Perry responded softly.

"I…I completely forgot about that. Your, 'I would never compare you to the gays' speech."

Dr. Cox sighed as his arms left their usual place across his chest; hands sneaking into the pockets of his lab coat in preparation for a speech that didn't involve yelling. "I had a feeling you were gay when you started here, Newbie, but I've never been one to dig into someone's personal life, mainly in that, well, I don't usually give a damn. So when that someone was an intern I barely knew, not to mention what the question was about, I decided to just let it go. You made it real easy to forget there, by the way, what with all of the different women you dated for a while. But anyway, I started suspecting again during your second year, except this time…this time I did know you. What I started wondering, though, was if you were hiding even deeper due to my amazing ability to think of new girls' names for you each and every day. Hold your applause. Anyway, I sure as hell didn't want to be 'that guy,' and believe it or not, I didn't want to see you ruin the rest of your already pathetic love life, so I said what I said for a reason. You understand? The names were never a jab at anything other than the fact that you act like a five year old girl. They were never derogatory, at least not in the way you thought they were."

"So you said the coming out thing because you knew I'd ask if it was a gay joke…?"

Perry nodded.

"Oh…"

"'Oh.'"

Silence encompassed them both as Dr. Cox watched his protégé take a seat back onto the bed, his feet dangling just a little as he went about staring at his knees like they were the most interesting things in the world. That had been hard; for the both of them, really. JD had confronted a fear he held for at least four years in terms of Dr. Cox, his father figure, not accepting him for who he was. Perry, of course, had to openly admit to caring for him. Granted, the kid already knew he cared about him, what with recent events involving the passing of his biological father, but Dr. Cox had admitted to caring about him for as far back as his second year, even though Newbie probably didn't need to hear that out loud to know it was true…

"Thank you."

Dr. Cox breathed a quiet sigh of relief in response to JD's whispered gratitude. Sure, they just crossed a rough patch, but at least now that JD knew he wouldn't reject him, he would finally –

"I mean, you know…I-I'm _not,_ but thanks for letting me know that if I was –"

"You have _better _be joking with me, Newbie…"

JD winced, but Dr. Cox just couldn't bring himself to care. "For four years now you've been begging me to open up; to do that whole 'share your feelings' crap that you know _damn well_ I can't stand. Now I finally lay it all out there on the table – for _you_, Carol – and you're _still_ going to play pretend? No way, Newbie, nya-uh. I – _we_ – are not leaving this damn room until you say it."

When JD didn't respond, the Irishman had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from growling. Okay, maybe the kid just didn't know where to start. Dr. Cox, however, knew exactly where to begin. "Newbie," he started out softly. "What did you mean before when you said you already got help; what was that about?"

JD swallowed, hands now visibly shaking as he did his best to answer. "I'm going to be sick, Dr. Cox…"

"…No you won't." Silently, the older man walked over to where his protégé sat shaking. JD instantly moved over, allowing the auburn haired doctor to take a seat next to him at the end of the bed. "Now talk. What kind of 'help' were you given?"

Perry watched in a rare bout of patience as JD inhaled slowly, preparing himself for a story he hadn't planned on telling anyone. "Do you…do you remember Elliot's brother? I mean, do you remember what she told us at lunch today? About how their parents sent him to that place? I, um…my mom sent me there too. Well, I guess, I mean…not the same one Barry went to, obviously, but one of those…those places. To fix me."

Dr. Cox nodded, silently indicating for JD to go on.

"I-It was a month long, like Elliot said. And it just…I hated it. I hated it so much. I didn't even know what being gay meant when she sent me. All I did was…I kissed a boy in my class, that's all. He was cute and he liked me and…and little kids get crushes, right? It was just a stupid peck on the cheek. I didn't…I didn't know that was gay, I didn't, so I told her because I was excited about my first kiss, and she completely flipped out… But it wasn't all that bad. I mean, I did hate it, yeah, but it did, you know…work."

_Don't yell, don't yell, don't yell, don't yell. _"It _worked,_ Newbie…?"

"It…yeah. Turns out I, um…my father already left when I got a crush on that boy – when I kissed him – so the councilors figured out that I just…I missed my dad a lot, you know? Which is why I was reaching out to other guys; because I wanted male affection."

_Don't yell, don't yell, don't yell, don't yell._ "Is that so…"  
"Y-Yeah. So then they taught me why girls, um…why we're supposed to be attracted to them. As men."

_Don't yell, don't yell, don't yell, don't yell._ "And why's that, exactly?"

"Because, it just…it just works that way. When you, I mean…a man and a woman _fit_ together, you know? Guys don't…they're not really made to…I mean –"

_Time's up._

JD jumped as Dr. Cox practically rocketed off of the bed, whirling around to face the young doctor with a look that screamed, "How stupid can you be?"

"How stupid can you be!?"

There it was.

"It's not stupid!" the brunet retorted, voice only wavering a little. "I was…I was confused, so they made me better. They fixed me!"

"That is the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard, and what pisses me off even more is that you _know_ it's a load of bullshit. Tell me something there, Newbie. Does Dr. Phillips down in Radiology need 'fixing?'"

"What? Of course not!"

"And what about Dr. Anna up in the ER? Does _she_ need fixing?"

"No! I-I didn't mean it like that!"

"So explain something to me then: How is it that you're the _only _one who needs 'help'? What makes you so fucking special?"

JD had moved back further onto the bed, eyes frantic as he searched desperately for answers. Dr. Cox watched him, eyes aflame with anger while his insides ached with sympathy. Scarcely did he feel the emotion towards anyone other than his patients, but this was just sick. He'd thought that Newbie's stay in the closet was a voluntary decision. He never would have guessed that he was shoved in there as a child. It was one of those rare occasions in which Dr. Cox took no pleasure in yelling at the kid, but it was also one of those rare occasions in which JD actually needed it. "Well!?" he barked after a moment of silence.

"Because I'm not actually gay, remember? I told you! I just missed my dad!"

"Oh, _please!_ If people 'became gay' because of divorce and shit parenting, more than half of the fucking world would be marching in a pride parade right now. Give me a break already!"

"But you've _seen_ me, Dr. Cox! You've seen me date women before!"

"Oh, I've seen you. I've also seen you sabotage each and every one of those relationships before you could even pass the one month marker."

JD could only gawk at him before looking back down into his lap. He gave a shaky breath, and Dr. Cox could've sworn he was holding back tears. Ah, damn it…

Calming himself down, the older man inhaled too. When next he spoke, his tone was softer; gentler, even. "Can I ask you something, Newbie?"

Quietly, JD nodded.

"As far as I know, I'm the only one in this hospital who's ever suspected. You're girlier than a unicorn shopping for bubblegum, yet, somehow, you've been able to pass through these halls day in and day out without anyone guessing otherwise. Despite all of those feminine qualities, you've managed to convince people that you're not what you claim you aren't. So I have to ask…what happened? Why are conversations about sexuality just now getting to you? I've commented on you and Gandhi before, but you never acted like you did today. You always just ignored it or retaliated. What's changed since then? How did it suddenly become harder for you to hide?"

Still unable to look up at his mentor, JD answered quietly; voice thick with unshed tears. "Do you know who Dr. Simon is?"

Dr. Simon. He'd been out of the closet before even coming to Sacred Heart and didn't give a damn who knew. Perry liked that. "Yeah, I know him. Good doctor."

JD nodded. "One of his patients requested that he be given a new doctor the other day. He told him…he told him that he didn't want a _faggot_ as his doctor. So guess who they gave him instead, Dr. Cox? Really, take a guess!"

Perry swallowed. He wasn't surprised that Dr. Simon was called what he was called, even if it did disgust him. Almost every doctor in the joint had experienced a patient who was racist, sexist, homophobic, you name it. What made his stomach flip was how bitter Newbie sounded. Not that he blamed him, of course, but the kid just wasn't supposed to sound like that. He just…wasn't. "Tell me, JD."

The use of his real name seemed to wake him somewhat. When he continued speaking, he sounded more hurt than angry. "Me, Dr. Cox. It was me. And when Dr. Simon gave me the guy's chart, he also gave me this…this look. It wasn't anger. It wasn't accusation. It was just…_knowing._ Sympathetic, almost. I told him I was sorry, and I think he knew what for, because all he did was give me this sad little smile and ask, 'For what?' before walking to his next patient's room. I didn't know what to say after that. I didn't even know what to do. So I just went into that guy's room and started treating him. He smiled at me and I instantly felt sick. I felt sick because…because I knew that if _he_ knew… I knew that he'd hate me too if I told him I was…if I was…"

Dr. Cox held his breath as JD's shaking grew more and more apparent. _Come on, Newbie. It's okay. Just say it._

"Can you…can you say it for me?"

Adrenaline running from what he knew was finally about to happen, Dr. Cox forced himself to remain calm as he quietly shook his head no. "You have to be the one to say it, kid."

JD nodded rapidly, his adrenaline clearly on the run as well. "Quick like a band aid, right? To make it hurt less?"

"You can say it however fast or slow you want to, but honestly? I don't think it'll hurt no matter how you choose to say it. In fact, I'm guessing it'll feel pretty damn good."

And just like that, the shaking came to a halt. The brunet's entire body tensed as the room around them went still. It was as if time had stopped and JD knew the magic words to make it start moving again; like it was up to him and him alone to break the spell.

"…I-I'm gay."

Dr. Cox grinned, his expression bittersweet, as Newbie's next reaction was to flinch; like the kid was seriously waiting for the world to implode now that he said what he'd been forced to deny. Yet as the seconds ticked by and the world kept on going, JD's shoulders visibly relaxed, causing the older man to give a rare and affectionate smile. "Atta' boy, Newbie."

For the first time in what felt like hours, the doe eyed doctor looked up at his mentor; a shy little smile slowly making it's way onto his expression. "And you…you're okay with that, right?"

Perry nodded immediately. "You better believe it, kid."

Dr. Cox couldn't help but chuckle as JD's next reaction was to laugh. The relief in the room was palpable, and _damn_ did it feel good.

The older man wasn't particularly sure why he asked what he asked next, but now that the kid was finally out of the closet, he couldn't deny that he was curious. "So tell me something there, Newbie. You and Gandhi…"

"Ah, _no!_ That'd be like having a crush on my brother!"

Dr. Cox bit down another bout of laughter as he continued with this question. "It was a joke, Newbie. Relax. You must like somebody though, right?"

"Well, I don't really have a crush on anybody right now, but that new doctor in OBGYN is pretty cute…"

"Is he gay?"

"Yeah, he's out. All the girls were disappointed when he told them."

"Well at least you won't have to worry about him cheating on you if you two end up bumping uglies, what with his job being to look at vaginas all day. Lucky bastard…"

JD giggled. "Yeah… Hey, um…Dr. Cox?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think, I mean…I still have to tell Turk, Elliot and Carla. I, uh…would you mind being there? You don't have to say anything. I just thought that maybe, you know –"

"Yeah, Newbie, I'll be there."

JD smiled, his blue eyes soft with appreciation. "Thank you."

As the brunet hopped up from the bed to join his mentor in leaving what used to be Mr. O' Brien's room, he couldn't help but ask yet another question. "Hey, do you think once everybody knows, I could really have a coming out party?"

"Oh, dear God…"

"We could get a _huge _cake, you know."

"Shaped like a penis?" Perry asked in mock excitement.

JD rolled his eyes, though the air of playfulness around it was more than obvious. "You'd come either way though, wouldn't you?"

Perry scoffed. "Dream on, Newbile One."

When the brunet only continued to smile, the Irishman just couldn't contain himself. Making sure nobody was around to witness his rare act of affection, the older man reached out to ruffle the kid's hair. "Yeah, Newbie, I'd come. Just don't expect me to eat that cake."

JD smiled. "A rainbow cookie, then?"

Dr. Cox grinned. "We'll see."

_**A/N:**__ I know "Newbile" is really spelled "Nubile," but I always thought Perry called him that as a way to incorporate his usual Newbie nickname in there, so I altered the spelling a bit. ;) Anyway, this turned out a lot longer than I originally thought it would, but it's been something I've wanted to try writing for quite a while now, so hopefully, it came out alright. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it. Until next time!_


	2. Part II

_**A/N: **__First of all, let me just say how appreciative I am of the feedback this story has received. It was an idea that I was playing with for quite a while, so I was really encouraged to see that others enjoyed it as well. Originally, however, this story was just going to be a one-shot, but after receiving several requests for a sequel, I decided to give it a go. I really do apologize for having taken this long with Part II though. When I finally decided I was going to add on to the story, I had planned on updating much sooner, but since I didn't have a solid idea for how this would continue, I wasn't really sure where I was going at first. That being said, I decided to make this second part first person rather than third person, though rest assured it's still from Perry's point of view. Anyway, I guess that's about it from me. Thanks for waiting, and I hope you enjoy Part II!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own a very large nothing. _

**My Coming Out Party: Part II**

It's been a few days since Newbie decided to come out of the closet, and while that may lead to the assumption that the kid is officially "out and about," he's really not. Yeah, _I _know he's gay, but his friends? They don't have a clue.

Of course, I didn't take into account when forcing the truth out of him that, by doing so, I'd become JD's go-to-guy in about, oh, _every situation imaginable._ Okay, let me rephrase that. The kid was already clingy before coming out to me anyway, but now that I know – now that the both of us know that I'm the _only_ one who knows – he's trailing me from the moment I step into the hospital from the minute I step out and into the parking lot. I cannot tell you how many times these past few days I've had to summon the patience I usually save for Jack in order to deal with him constantly being there, 'cause believe you me when I say I've been more than just tempted to turn around and rail into the kid for having up-ed the whole puppy dog routine. Problem is, I wouldn't put it entirely past Newbie to take it as an insult to everything he's just recently confessed. And to be perfectly blunt, I don't think I have it in me to pull his ass out of the closet for the second time in less than a week. I just don't.

But here's the thing: when I say that I've been his "go-to-guy," I mean that I've turned into the one person – the_ only_ person – he seems eager to be around. Whenever one of his friends tries to talk to him, he answers as quickly as he can; short, simple answers that have their early departure guaranteed. For the first couple of days, nobody really seemed to notice. We've all been fairly busy, so it wasn't unusual, and since the kid's shifts didn't match up with Carla and Gandhi's, I'm sure it wouldn't have been particularly hard for him to avoid them when coming home from a late one, or dismissing their invites by simply stating that he's tired. They're all beginning to notice now, however, and I've caught Milk Dud shooting him a few hurt filled glances.

I get why Newbie's avoiding them though, I do. Since he's come out, his spirits have been annoyingly high. He trails me like it's his specialty, but he hasn't been moping or sighing or any of that girly crap he's so keen on shoving down my throat. The kid's been all smiles – carefree and feeling good about himself – and it's for that reason that I think he's avoiding his friends. He knows he's going to have to tell them eventually, and the fear of what that could lead to would shatter all the progress he's made so far, along with the happy little bubble of ignorant bliss he's created for himself over the past couple of days.

Tough crap.

Like I said, I get why he's avoiding them, I do, but if he _really_ wants to be happy – not this temporary, "The world is made of sunshine," routine – then he has to come _all_ the way out; not just to me. I can't say for sure how his friends will take it. Well, I can at least say that Carla will be fine, but I don't really know how Barbie and Bowling Ball will react. My point is this though: even if they turn out to be shit friends, Newbie has to know that in order to get over it and move on. He's never going to be content – _honestly content _– if he just goes about pretending that everything's A-Okay.

I absolutely la-la-_loathe_ not knowing how to deal with something, and while it's not that I can't deal with what's happening here, it's just that, much like before, I don't know how to go about bringing this particular subject up. While it's more than obvious he's been trailing me since I'm the only one who knows about him coming out, he makes little to no mention of his sexuality. Except for turning beet red whenever he manages to cross paths with Dr. Geryon – that new doctor from OBGYN who I think Newbie has developed a full on crush for now that he's not in denial – and the occasional, excited remark about what should be included in his "Coming Out Party" (or whatever the hell he's calling it now) he really doesn't talk about it much. Then again, there's no real reason to, which brings me back to my original point. He's comfortable with me because I know. He doesn't have to constantly worry about what he says or does, so it's easier for him to trail me even more than he already did rather than be with his friends, where he'd have to go back to thinking over every little thing he says and does just so they don't figure it out.

They have to know though. It's time. And the fact is, JD knows it's time too. He's just procrastinating at this point; avoiding the inevitable.

I'm trying to think of a good way to bring it up when, lo and behold, the situation presents itself.

We're passing pediatrics as a girl is getting wheeled back into her room; her fingers curled securely around the plastic string of a balloon she's been given. JD eyes it like the man-child he is, shortly after deciding to nudge me in the ribs with his bony elbow. "If I really do end up throwing a Coming Out Party, I should definitely buy balloons," he whispers secretively. "I'm just trying to think of ones that'll go with the, uh, '_theme_.'"

"That's all well in good, Samantha, but a party's pretty useless if no one shows up at your door."

He adapts this look like I just punched him in the face, and I can't help but wonder if I just touched on a few childhood memories.

"You said _you'd_ come though, right…?"

"Newbie, are you even listening to me? Yeah, I'll be there, but only because I'm the only damn person who _knows._ I'm not saying you have to put up fliers about your coming out there, but you ra-_heely_ need to tell your pep-squad."

JD shifts awkwardly where he stands, hands stuffed in the pockets of his scrubs. "I know," he finally mumbles. "It's just hard to take that final step. I mean…that girl back there with the balloon – I didn't have to think twice before saying what I said. The minute the thought popped into my head, it was out of my mouth. With my friends – okay, I'm like that with them too, but when it comes to me being gay? I have to bite my tongue every single time, and it's just…it's _tiring_, Dr. Cox. It's why I've been avoiding them. I hate it, I do, but since I came out, being around them feels exhausting. I don't think I can do it anymore."

"Which is why you have to tell them," I reply matter-of-factly. "And to be honest there, Trish, you're not exactly acting like a model example of what makes a supposedly good friend by not even giving them the benefit of a doubt."

His hand runs through the back of his hair while his eyes close in quiet contemplation. Finally, he turns back to me; gaze full of wary hesitance. "What if they leave…?"

My hands find a place in the pockets of my lab coat as I stare at him across the four foot gap between us. I know my answer isn't going to be the one he wants to hear, but it's the only reply I can think of; the only one that's honest, anyway. "If they reject you, Newbie, then they weren't your friends to begin with."

--

I promised the kid I'd be there for whenever he decided to tell them, but hell, I didn't think he'd do it like this.

I watch from my position against the wall, arms crossed in front of my chest, as JD paces anxiously back and forth, waiting for his friends to answer his page and meet us in the doctor's lounge. I've growled at so many interns and nurses who have decided to come in already that I don't think we'll be getting interrupted any time soon. When I'm angry, word spreads fast.

As you can imagine, word spreads often.

Still, I don't get why the kid just didn't wait till they were all off from work to put his whole coming out plan, if you can even call it that, into action. I mean hell, it's better for _me_ to just do it here and avoid having to make a visit over to Newbie and Gumball's apartment, but still…

When his hand combs through his hair for at least the tenth time in two minutes, I decide to voice my question, thinking it'll make for a good distraction, if nothing else. "Any particular reason why you're deciding to do this now instead of at home, Newbie?"

The kid's eyes dart up to my own like a deer caught in head lights; the panic residing underneath those anxiety ridden orbs staring at me frantically. "This is wrong, isn't it? Completely wrong. Wrong setting, wrong time, wrong decision. Okay, thanks, Dr. Cox. Thanks for letting me know. I'll just page them now and tell them that they don't have to co –"

I push off from my spot against the wall and swipe his pager away before he can even manage a response. "Oh, no you don't. You're finally growing a pair, so no backing down now. I never said anything you were so damn quick to assume, so calm yourself. I just wanted to know _why_ you chose this over the apartment. That's all."

The kid pulls his desperate gaze away from his pager in my hand long enough to answer the question; the hysteria behind his tone calming just a little as he speaks. "I chose the hospital since they could easily get away if they decide I make them uncomfortable, and then I could find a place hidden from them if I need to, um…vent. It would be awkward at the apartment if our only option was to go in our room and wait till the morning. I planned on telling them there originally, since they could always just, you know…leave. Go to the bar, or something… But going out for a drink isn't an option tonight since we're all scheduled for morning shifts. The hospital just feels like the safest place to do it, I guess…"

I give a small nod of quiet understanding as Newbie returns to his pacing. I'll admit that there's a slight – I repeat, _slight_ – knot in the pit of my stomach when I think about the possibility of the kid getting rejected. I told him earlier that Carla would be okay with it, but that's more of an assumption than anything else, really. There are plenty of people out there who talk about being accepting and open minded, but then the minute it happens to someone _they_ know, things change. I don't think Carla would do that to anyone, especially her "Bambi," but I've been wrong about people before…

Then there's Barbie, who is obviously supportive of her brother, but she and JD dated, which could easily bring about a whole new set of problems.

I think the kid's main source of fear lies with Milk Dud, though. Those two are closer than Ted and flop sweat, and losing him would leave a mark on Newbie that I don't think anyone would ever really be able to repair. Not to mention the guy has shown his fair share of homophobic tendencies. As stupid as that knuckle headed surgeon can be though, I really don't think his paranoia comes from a place of hate. The guy just doesn't know how to handle himself when he's put into a position like, well…like the one he's about to be put into.

I tell myself that my palms are sweating because the room is hot, while JD continues on in his pacing. If he could only calm down long enough to stand still –

I get my wish as the three musketeers come strolling in, their expressions calm and smiling as their eyes land on JD. Gumball seems cheerier than usual, probably thrilled at having been paged by the same person whose been giving him no more than a few yes or no answers over the past couple of days. The kid smiles back as best he can, but it's undeniably strained. Gandhi's buyout expression suddenly turns grim as he takes in his best friend's tense posture. "You okay, man?" he asks warily.

The question grabs the attention of Carla and Barbie, who had been talking with each other on their way in. They stop mid-sentence to stare in concern at Lillian, who looks like he's getting ready to be sick.

"JD…?" his black wife tries again.

"I…I need to tell you guys something," he starts off, voice wavering just a little. "What I need to tell you…it's why I've been acting so distant these past couple of days, and I'm sorry about that, I really am, which is why I wanted to call you guys in here and tell you that, uh…"

I watch as he puts his arms out behind him in an attempt to look as though he's leaning casually against the head of the couch. From where I'm standing, however, I can see what they can't – his knuckles turning ghostly white as his fingers sink deeper and deeper into the fabric.

Suddenly, the kid's looking at me. His friends follow suit, and while I don't look at anyone other than Newbie, I can tell that my presence makes them even more nervous, as I'm probably looking more like a body guard than a doctor right about now. I think the fact that I'm even here to begin with – standing quietly behind their gal pal – shows them that something's definitely up. After all, when was the last time I publicly "backed up" Tiffany? It's not what most would call a common occurrence.

JD's already pale skin grows paler as he continues to stare at me, eyes pleading. I nod encouragingly and watch him turn back to his friends. It's a small gesture, I know, but I also know that it's all he needs to see to say what he says next.

Closing his eyes and inhaling slowly, JD makes his announcement in a clear, unwavering voice. "I'm gay."

Barbie lets out a shocked, "Holy frick!" while Carla's jaw drops just a little. Gandhi's eyes bulge, wide and unintelligible, as he finds something over JD's shoulder to focus on.

The silence lasts for mere seconds, but I know it's enough to make me – to make _Newbie_ – start to wonder.

I'm about to go over there and wring someone's neck for just staring at the kid like a science project, when Carla starts to speak. "How long have you known, Bambi?"

JD's eyes dart over to Gandhi before answering, and I can tell he was secretly hoping that Turk would be the first to address him, not his wife. Quickly, he turns back to Carla and answers her question. "I've known for years now. When I…when I was a little kid, I kissed a boy I had a crush on, though I didn't realize it was a crush exactly. I mean…I didn't realize liking another guy was gay. I told my mom about it – my first kiss – and she…" JD paused, and I must confess that his next move was a clever one in terms of getting Barbie to understand. "She handled it the way your parents did," he states calmly, eyes desperate for acceptance as he shifts his attention from Carla to her. "She sent me to one of the places your brother was sent to."

Barbie's eyes mist over as she nods. The unidentifiable feeling in my stomach lessens just a little at the sight of her latest gesture. I'm an expert on hate, which includes being able to detect it. As far as I can tell, not a bit of it is coming from Blondie.

"I thought they fixed me," Newbie continues, voice level but reflective. "I thought the councilors there had a point, so I just…I went with it. I believed them. But it never really went away, and the older I got, the harder it was to deny. The only reason I came out was because of Dr. Cox."

I swallow a moan as all eyes suddenly turn to me. Did he really have to phrase it like that? I give my nose a solid flick, quietly daring any of them to challenge me on this one. I'm not going to get lectured for figuring out what they were too damn blind to notice.

"He realized before I did, actually," JD continues, and I'm quietly thankful that he took the time to clarify his latest comment. "He ranted it out of me." Newbie's lips turn up into the tiniest of grins, and I can almost hear the "_Vintage Cox" _remark playing out in his head. I swallow my own grin as I wait for the response of his friends.

"It wasn't me, was it?"

Everyone's attention turns to Barbie, who is fiddling with her hands and looking almost as awkward as JD.

"Huh?"

"I mean…I didn't, you know…make you realize?"

Honest to God, I don't know whether to roll my eyes or burst out laughing, but the conversation carries on all the same.

"Of course not," JD answers promptly. "In fact…you were the one girl who I thought I could honestly make it work with. I love you Elliot, which is why it was so easy to be with you, in that sense. That feeling like I was constantly fighting against what I really wanted wasn't nearly as dominant when I was with you, but it was still there. Not because of you though. It's just…it's how I was born. No matter what, it was always going to be there, even if the girl I was with was someone who I genuinely cared about."

Barbie smiles as she walks over to JD – the first out of all of them – to wrap her arms around his middle and place a kiss on the center of his cheek. "I know it was a selfish question, and I know from everything with Barry that you don't just 'turn gay' like that, but thank you, JD. And thanks for letting us know what was going on. I was really starting to worry about you…"

"Me too," Carla cuts in then. Elliot steps aside, allowing her to cup Newbie's face in the palm of her hands. "I thought something was wrong, but this…this is _not_ wrong, do you hear me, Bambi? This is you, and it's the same you that I've known for four years now."

I don't like this heart to heart stuff, I just don't, but there is an undeniable relief in me when I hear those words coming from Carla. I kind of want to kick my own ass for doubting that she'd react any differently, but it's for that same damn reason that I feel so relieved. I don't know how well I would have handled yet another person I'd actually chosen to befriend turning out to be an ignorant, backstabbing prick. Carla's not that kind person though; she's never been that kind of person. The very least I can do is swallow a sensitive moment.

JD leans into her touch, the appreciation and love emitting from his body palpable.

That is, until, he realizes that Gandhi has yet to move; has yet to say anything since his coming out.

Carla's looking at her husband expectantly while I myself am trying not to shoot him daggers. I'm in way too deep at this point to pretend I don't feel just a little protective of Newbie. But you know what? Even if I didn't, I know I'd still be angry. Listen…I hate a lot of things, but I defy you to look through my infinite list of things I utterly loathe and find just even _one thing_ that involves blatant discrimination. I'm not that guy. I've never been that guy. You want to call me a jackass, fine, but call me a jackass for the right reasons.

The more I study Scalpel Jockey, though, the more I realize that the look he's shooting JD isn't one of anger. He looks confused, but more than just that, he looks hurt. There's some kind of accusation lingering beneath his stare, and as the seconds tick by, I wish he'd grow a pair and just say what's bothering him already. If Newbie can summon that Y chromosome of his long enough to tell his friends something he's been hiding for years, than Gandhi should be able to man up long enough to at least form some kind of proper response.

JD looks sickly pale as Gumball just continues to stare at him. Carla's mouth is open, ready to break the silence, but her husband beats her to it.

"Why didn't you tell me…?"

The kid still looks nervous, but at his best friend's latest question, a realization sparks underneath his worried gaze, replacing his fear with immediate understanding. "I didn't intentionally choose not to tell you. I mean…for the past couple of days, yeah – I was keeping it to myself on purpose."

"But in college and in med school; all those years together – you never once even hinted that you were, I mean…did you not trust me, or something?"

"I didn't _know_, Turk. I mean, I've always known to an extent, but I didn't really _know-_know. If the thought ever entered my mind, I was too busy pushing it back and denying it was there in the first place to even consider telling you. I was too busy telling myself that I wasn't gay to even _dream_ about saying it out loud. Just thinking about it scared me. It was never a matter of trust or friendship or anything like that. I just…I couldn't come to terms with the idea that I could be. Telling anyone – especially my roommate; my best friend. I…I couldn't afford to lose you…I couldn't imagine it. Even now, I…"

Newbie trails off, the mere idea of his best friend leaving him too much for him to stomach. I can't say I blame the kid, but I wish he'd been able to finish his thought so that Milk Dud would actually _say_ something.

He doesn't say anything though. Not a word.

He does, however, walk over and wrap his arms around him in one of thee most intimate hugs I have ever seen; at least between two men, anyway. JD practically melts into him, and I'm almost certain he lets out a whimper of sheer and utter relief. The surrounding atmosphere screams "Hallmark Card" as Carla smiles lovingly while Barbie starts to mist over again.

But despite all of that, I'm happy about his friends' reactions, I am. I attempt telling myself that it's solely because the kid won't be following me around the hospital as much anymore, but when the two let go and JD's eyes lock with mine, I can't help but meet his joyous expression with a small nod of my own.

'Atta boy, Newbie.

--

"Are you excited about tonight?"

I roll my eyes as Carla stares up at me from behind the nurses' station, chin placed on her hands as she gives me a teasing grin.

"If by 'excited' you mean 'morbidly curious' then yes."

"Oh come on, you know you're looking forward to it a _little_. After all, it was your idea."

I look up from my hepatitis patient's chart, eyebrows raised in what I believe is my best "Are you kidding me?" look to date. "It was _Newbie's_ idea to have this little Coming Out Party, nee-_hot_ mine."

"As I recall," she retaliates immediately, "It was technically your idea first. Did you not mention it in a rant a couple of years back, or was Bambi just making that part of the story up?"

I silently curse myself – and Newbie's big mouth – for having forgotten that part of this whole fiasco. Not that I regret letting him know I was okay with him being gay (even if he didn't get that at the time) but did I really have to start the speech out by talking about a party, of all things?

"He's really excited that you're going, you know," Carla adds suddenly.

I give a small grunt in response. I really don't want to do this whole party thing, but I know it would really crush the kid if I didn't show up. And yeah, I'm usually okay with a good crushing. Anybody who works here could tell you that, but all be damned if I wasn't serious when I told him I'd be there.

I just forgot how much I despise parties when I made that promise.

As if on cue, the two sorority sisters come strolling into the hospital. I can't help but wonder what they're doing here, since the both of them took the day off, nor can I help but wonder if their taking the day off together had anything to do with planning for Newbie's party tonight.

I'm about to ask what they're doing when I notice it: a glob of glitter on JD's cheek.

Okay, I don't care if you're straight, gay, bi, transgender, _whatever._ But no man, I repeat, _no man,_ should choose to voluntarily walk out into public with _glitter_ on his face.

"Hi, Dr. Cox!" he greets cheerily.

I eye his streets to see if there's some kind of corresponding theme that would entice Newbie to put the dreaded stuff on, but from what I can tell, he's wearing your every day t-shirt and jeans. I flick my nose and cross my arms, focusing in on the glob that's slowly driving me insane. I see him back up a step, wary of my annoyance, so I wait as patiently as I can for him to wipe the stuff away.

Nothing? Have it your way then, Newbile One.

Ignoring his look of curiosity driven horror, I give my hand a good lick before bringing it to the side of his face and smearing that nonsense off. It lands on his cheek with a small smack – just enough to remind him to _never wear that stuff again_ without being hard enough to leave an actual mark. Of course, knowing Newbie –

"Ow!" The kid rubs his cheek as he gives me a full on pout, while Gandhi turns to me and glares. "Not cool!" he barks.

"Listen here, Clarice – ever since your coming out, I've seen you grow an actual _spine._ I don't feel the immediate need to write you out a prescription for a pair of testicles _nearly_ as often as I used to, so don't go ruining that by strolling into this hospital with _glitter_ on your face, of all things. Now I let your coming in here with face paint that one time go with just a warning –"

"I was a cougar."

"But glitter is where I draw the line, understand?"

The kid looks at me for a second, then to my saliva and glitter covered hand. I'm surprised when he grins a little, though I'm fairly relieved by the answer he gives me in response to my latest demand. "I didn't know there was glitter on my face, Dr. Cox. It must've gotten on me at the party store."

Well, that answers my question from earlier. I wipe my palm against the side of my leg, wondering why Newbie is grinning like he just won some long sought after prize. I do my best to ignore the happy-go-lucky look he shoots Carla before responding to his latest comment. "So I'm guessing you two gal pals have the apartment decked out then, huh?"

"Not yet," JD responds. "We were going to go do that right after going to the party store, but Turk told me on the way home that he made some fliers for my Coming Out Party, so we're here to take them down."

"Unbelievable," I mutter in annoyance.

"I haven't seen them anywhere," Carla suddenly pipes up. "Where did you hang them, baby?"

"I only had a little time left after my shift last night, so after finishing up with my patient's C-Section, I hung some up in OBGYN. I'm sorry man," he says, turning his attention back to Newbie. "I honestly thought you'd like them. I mean…it's not that big of a deal if people see them since you're out now anyway, right?"

JD sighs. "Yeah, Turk, I'm out, and if anyone really has seen them, I'm going to tell them the truth, but that doesn't mean I want to publicly announce it to the whole hospital, you know? Let them find out in their own time. Besides, I sort of wanted this party to be just for the people closest to me…"

Maybe it's just my ego, but I'm a little flattered (though not at all surprised) that I'm on the kid's, "People closest to me" list. Not that it matters to me either way, or anything, but still…

"Anyway, we're gonna go take them down," Newbie chimes in again. "See you guys later tonight!"

Carla waves while my hand immediately reaches from the bridge of my nose, eager to massage away the on-coming migraine. I can't help but notice JD giving said appendage another fond look before frolicking off with Gandhi. What the hell?

I look back to Carla once he leaves, only to find that she's also grinning at me; her brown eyes in the know of something I'm clearly just not getting. "What?" I bark irritably.

"You licked your hand to clean JD's cheek."

"So what?"

"Oh, come on, Dr. Cox. You're a parent; you should know this!"

Maybe I really am losing my mind, because I have no idea what's she's talking about.

She shakes her head at me – probably the only person besides Jordan who can get away with that – and presses on. "If Jack has something on his face, what do you do?"

"Wash it. What else?"

Carla rolls her eyes. "Okay, if there's no soap or water available, _then_ what do you do?"

"I lic –" the words aren't even out of my mouth before I feel my eyes bulge with realization. "No," I say firmly, but Carla is smiling from ear to ear now. "_No,_" I repeat again. "I did _not_ mean it like that."

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Dr. Cox. Parents act on their parental instincts without realizing it all the time."

My hand goes back to the bridge of my nose and pinches; _hard._ "I'm going to the kid's party. Isn't that enough for today?"

I can feel more than see Carla's grin turn into a softer, much more sincere smile. "Of course it is, Dr. Cox. It's just nice, you know…to watch you guys after everything's happened. You were…you were there for him when we didn't even know what was going on. It's just nice to see how supportive you've been."

I open my mouth to tell her how that doesn't mean anything. That them not knowing Newbie was gay doesn't make them bad friends, and that me figuring it out doesn't make me some kind super dad, but then another thought hits me, and all of the sudden I'm wondering how Newbie's biological father would have handled all of this; if he would have reacted like I had or how his ex-wife – JD's mother – once reacted. I also can't help but wonder if the kid has thought about the same thing…

I say goodbye to Carla after she reminds me what time the party is before going to the men's room to wash my hands. I had planned on scrubbing till my skin was raw after realizing what it was I did to JD, but, for one reason or another, I stop only once the glitter is off.

--

In front of Newbie's door, I know I'm the last one to show, since I spotted Barbie's car in the parking lot before coming in. According to Carla, who had seen JD and Milk Dud prance out of the hospital while I was washing my hands, no one had commented on the fliers. I think Bethany was actually a little disappointed that nobody questioned him about it though, since he's ready to answer truthfully to anyone who asks. Still, I like knowing that it's a small group waiting for me in there. Even if they consist mainly of people who annoy me on a daily basis, at least they're people I can maybe-sort-of-kind-of get along with if I ra-_heely_ try.

Inhaling slowly, I raise my hand to the door and knock. Newbie is there in a flash, grinning at me like he's already inhaled wa-ha-ha-_hay_ too much sugar.

"Dr. Cox! You're here!"

I can't help but roll my eyes at this. After everything that's happened so far, did he honestly think I wouldn't show? "I told you I'd be here before you even had this thing planned out, remember?"

"That's true… Still though, you're here!"

"Yes, Newbie, I'm here. How about letting me in then?"

"Oh, um, right…"

My mouth is open to make a quick jab as the kid stands aside to let me in, but I'm cut short as my gaze falls on the various decorations that have been hung around the apartment.

Oh – dear – _Lord._

Rainbow colored streamers hang from the ceiling while different colored balloons grace their presence above our heads. Multi-colored confetti is scattered _everywhere_ – the floors, tables, counter tops – while the kitchen counter itself is littered with various trays of food. I'm fairly hesitant to give the appetizers a closer look, my comment about Newbie buying a penis shaped cake suddenly fresh in my mind, but when I do turn to the counter, I'm relieved to see it's just your every day ice cream cake. This too, of course, is decorated with rainbow frosting and sprinkles, not to mention the elegantly written, "Happy Coming Out Party, JD!" on its front.

Of course, I can't help but notice the plate full of sugar cookies shaped like rainbows. You just had to do it, didn't you, Newbie?

"Do you like it?" JD pipes up from behind my shoulder.

I open my mouth to say something, anything, but I honestly don't know how to answer that one. Do I _like _it? No. No, I do not. Do I _dis_like it? Not particularly, no. Do I wish I was home right now, milking a bottle of scotch and watching whatever's on ESPN? Yes, yes I do.

"It's…bright," I finally manage.

JD laughs. "Well, what did you expect?"

"To be honest there, Trish, I'm not entirely certain. I'm pretty sure you could start a whole pride parade with what you got going on in here though."

JD laughs, genuinely, and I'm taken slightly off guard by how relieved I am over his reaction. I don't want the kid to crawl back into his cave of denial or think that I've suddenly changed my mind in terms of accepting him, I don't, but I also don't think I could spend the rest of my life walking on egg shells around him either. I don't think I can do that with anybody, to be honest. "I know it's a little over the top," he finally answers, "But c'mon, it's a party! Parties are supposed to be a little crazy."

"Got crazy down," I reply dryly. A new, horrifying thought enters my mind then, and while I'm hesitant to ask, I know that I sort of have to if I'm going to avoid being pulled into them. "Puh-_lease_ tell me there aren't any games," I practically moan.

"We thought about it, but there weren't any games that would work for our group. Well, there weren't any games at the party store that would work for this 'theme' in general, so we ended up going to the sex shop."

_Oh dear God, here we go…_

"We had to go to the bacherlorette section since they had all the cool penis toys."

_For the love of – _

"They had _a lot _of games there, Dr. Cox. There was one called, 'Pin the Junk on the Hunk,' then they had this cool ring toss game where the pole you tossed it on was actually shaped like a penis. Oh! We found all these different party favors there too. It was insane! But the crazy-awesome kind of insane. They had lollipops shaped like penises called, 'The all day suckers,' penis straws, penis pens, and you're not going to believe this one – they had candy necklaces with penises at the end! Those were my favorite. Anyway, they also had some penis –"

"I'm pretty sure I get it there, Newbie…"

"Oh, um…right… Anyway, I decided not to get them since I think it would've been a little too much. That, and I'm pretty sure Turk was getting really uncomfortable and just didn't want to say anything."

I can't help but grin at the mental image of Gandhi looking awkward and out of place in the middle of everything that was just described to me. It almost, _almost_ makes me wish I'd been there to see it, though I won't lie: I'm glad he decided not to go all out. I mean, Barbie and Carla may have gotten a kick out of that crap, but what in the hell would Gumball and I have done?

"I also figured that you and Turk would've been pretty bored if I got that stuff…"

"'Bored,' wasn't the word I was looking for, exactly…"

Newbie gives another small chuckle, and the tension in my shoulders dissipates just slightly. I can't help but notice that, ever since he's come out, my insults don't seem to bother him nearly as much as they used to. Granted, I've been laying off these past couple of weeks, but when I throw him a girls' name or take a jab at his femininity, he doesn't seem too fazed. Besides knowing now what it is that I'm actually making fun of when I decide to just go at it, I think a part of it has to do with him feeling comfortable in his own skin for the first time in what I'm guessing is forever. Don't get me wrong: I can't think of too many things that are more fun than teasing the kid, but at the same time, it's oddly refreshing to see him holding his own and not getting so damn emotional over everything that comes out of my mouth.

"Dr. Cox!"

Carla walks over to me, all smiles, having just come out of her bedroom with Gandhi. It's not too long after that when Barbie steps out of the bathroom sporting a, "Gay? Fine by me," t-shirt. I can't help but scoff at her apparel, to which she completely blows me away by flipping me off. Without blinking, I send it back to her, and I'm even more surprised when her reaction to that is to smile.

Well hell, who knew Backbone Barbie was so much fun?

The rest of the party is – wait for it – actually not that bad. Despite the insane decorations, party food, and the story that went along with it, the situation itself is just basically your every day get together. We watch a few movies like, "Harvey Milk" and "Saving Face," drink, eat a shit load of pizza, and drink some more. Before I know it, it's five hours later. I get up to get another beer from the kitchen (and yes, another rainbow cookie, but only because JD wouldn't stop pestering me to have one) when I turn around to see Newbie leaning on the counter, staring at me. His skin is flushed from the alcohol, but he's smiling; eyes glazed and happy.

"Can I help you with something there, Jessica?"

"No," he answers softly; a tone I hadn't expected from a fairly tipsy Newbie. "Not because you can't, but because you already have. I know I told you this already, Dr. Cox, but thank you. I'd probably still be deep in denial while awkwardly attempting to ask one of the new nurses out if you hadn't confronted me about…about everything, I guess. I know it's not your comfort zone; I know you don't like doing things like…like what you did for me then; like what you've been doing for me for these past couple of weeks, so I just…thank you, Perry. I really appreciate it."

I nod silently, not quite knowing how to respond to a speech I hadn't expected. "You're okay, Newbie." I'm not even sure what I mean by that. Maybe I meant to say _we're _okay. Maybe I meant to say that he – we – were always okay; before I knew, before he knew – that none of this is going to change anything, at least not for the worst. I don't know what I'm trying to say, exactly, but it looks like he's filling in the blanks for me as his smile only widens.

We both snap out of it when a sudden knock at the door catches our attention. Newbie wobbles a bit as he pushes himself off of the counter, but he regains his balance long enough to answer the door in a decent amount of time. Of course, by the look of shock that's currently etched onto his expression, I can't help but wonder if he wishes he answered faster or not at all.

From the couch, Carla and Barbie share excited little gasps, while Gandhi seems both surprised and, for one reason or another, guilt stricken. It's not until I notice the bright purple flyer in the hand of the apartment's newest occupant that I understand why.

"Hey, John," Dr. Geryon greets amiably. "Sorry I'm late. I wanted to be here on time, but I thought it'd be pretty unprofessional of me to ask Mrs. Germanotta if she could please push her baby out quicker."

Both Carla and Barbie snort with laughter, and I won't lie to you – I kind of did too.

What I'm really grinning at is Newbie though. His skin is ra-_heely_ red and I know it's not just the alcohol anymore.

"It, uh… The fliers were never supposed to go up, actually. It was kind of, I mean…it was kind of a mistake."

Okay, I know he's nervous, and yes, I know he's a little drunk, but honestly, Charlotte, could you be any less smooth?

I'm pretty sure I hear the girls give an awkward moan in response to Newbie's latest spewage of verbal diarrhea, while Dr. Geryon looks fairly embarrassed himself. "Oh! I, uh…well that makes sense, I suppose. I mean, I found this last night, so, uh, yeah…" He clears his throat awkwardly; free hand making to pull at the rubber band around his pony tail in what I can only assume is a nervous tick. "Well alright then. See you at work, I guess."

He turns to leave, and while I am in no way shape or form any kind of "match-maker," I'm almost tempted to go push the stupid kid out of the door in order to correct his mistake. Thankfully, his senses come back to him before the guy is completely out of his sight. "Wait!" he practically yelps. Dr. Geryon turns around, his expression casual but understandably confused. "It, um…I didn't realize fliers had been put up until earlier today, but that's not a bad thing, you know? I mean, if you still want to come in, y-you can. There's pizza too, if you're hungry…?"

Geryon was already grinning before Newbie even finished trying to invite him back, his words only slurring here and there in the process, which I think made him grin even more.

"I'm starving," he confesses to Susan's latest ramble. "So yeah, pizza sounds great."

Seconds later and Dr. Geryon is being introduced to us by Newbie, which is a little odd, since the kid barely knows him himself. Truth be told, when I had originally gone to the kitchen for another drink, I was also thinking of heading home. Or rather, calling Jordan to see if she could come pick me up on her way back from spending half of my latest paycheck on shoes. But when somebody asks Geryon if he's ever seen "Gray Matters" and he answers that he hasn't (and quite frankly, neither have I) I know I'm in for at least a few more hours.

I take a seat on the couch – Carla on one side and Newbie on the other – while the kid himself is placed in between me and his little crush. I don't miss the excited look he shoots me before the movie begins to play. I chug back my drink in order to hide my grin, realizing what I should've known from the start.

No matter who JD ends up with, he is _so_ going to be the girl.

_**A/N:**__ I know the second half was a lot different from the first, but I wanted it to end on a funnier, more relaxed note than it's prequel and the first half of Part II; just to kind of show that life for them is returning back to normal, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the second and final part of this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until next time!_


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